Effective Practices in Workplace English Language Training

Orgilmaa Doloonjin
Director General of Santis Educational Services

Common misconceptions about Workplace language training:

1. 2. Every English language course is fit for English language training for specific purposes. Workplace language training is essentially the same as any language training

Challenges we face today because of the misconceptions

Workplace English language training is ineffective and employers dont know why
Lack of quality, standard, wrong approach, unrealistic goals

Employers dont know enough about the needs of their employees prior to signing them up for training
No proper assessment; this leads to employees lacking in motivation or the training being unproductive altogether

Effective Practices in Workplace English Language Training

4 main elements:
Organizational Needs Assessment Training Needs Assessment

Evaluation of language training providers

Defining benchmarks

Organizational Needs Assessment (ONA)

As a general rule, conduct an ONA to define your organizations needs FIRST.
Is workplace language training a necessity for you?
If yes, who needs the training? Specific individuals? Departments? What kind of training is needed? How much training is needed?

Is it feasible?
Can you afford to invest the time and money into the training? Should you do it now? When is the best time to do it? Is it worth the investment for you? Are there alternative options youre not considering?

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

Once the organizations needs are defined, specific training needs is the next step.

Training Needs Assessment (TNA) is the most important element in any training, especially Workplace language training, since all the other elements are based on it.

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

Three steps:

1.
2.

Interview or survey managers & supervisors and employees/learners

See jobs performed with emphasis on language used

3.

Reconcile the information and analyze

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

1. Interview or survey

Pose questions to managers and supervisors about the employees/learners

Pose questions to employees/learners

Is there a difficulty in tasks such as: explaining & giving instructions, reporting problems, communicating with co-workers and on the telephone, conducting meetings, making suggestions, reading job-related manuals, writing memos, letters and reports, following safety standards and measure etc.

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

2. See jobs performed with emphasis on language used

Training Provider goes to the workplace to see the jobs performed and the language used on the job
Meetings and other team activities are observed

Written materials such as manuals, notices and forms etc. are analyzed

Training Needs Assessment (TNA)

3. Reconcile the information and analyze

Training Provider will have to:

Gather the information from managers and supervisors, employees and learners, and also from their own observations on the job List and prioritize the language needed on the job This will form the objectives of the program based on combination of factors reported from multiple parties, not just one

Evaluation of language training provider

In evaluating language training programs/institutions: 1. Mission and Value

2.
3. 4. 5.

Curriculum
Faculty Facilities, Equipment and Supplies Administrative and fiscal capacity

6.
7. 8. 9.

Client/Customer services
Recruiting Length and Structure of the Program Learners Achievement

10. Learner/Client Complaints

11. Program Development

Defining benchmarks for Workplace Language training providers

Costs of not defining benchmarks
Little to no return on investment Being unable to track progress

Benefits of defining benchmarks

Keep track of tangible results

Keep the training provider & program in check

Increase efficiency and produce better results

Why is Workplace English language training important to employers?

Employees are human capital to the organization

The knowledge, skills, and other qualities that employees possess are resources that contribute to the well being of employees, company or organization for which they work, and their nation as a whole.

Why is Workplace English language training important to employers?

A study (Chiswick, 1996) notes that proficiency in the language of commerce, institution, and government meets the 3 key requirements of human capital
1. It is embodied in the person Language skills cant be taken away from a person, unlike a tractor or tool

2. It is costly to create Developing language skills requires an investment of time and (often) money
3. It is productive individuals, companies and the national economy can see a return on this investment in the form of increased productivity in the labor market and improved quality of life.

Effective Practices in Workplace English Language Training

Thank you for you time and attention!

Orgilmaa Doloonjin Director General Santis Educational Services